Americans are increasingly concerned about Donald Trump's aggressive tariff strategy, with 72% ranking it as a top concern, despite the White House's assurances of economic benefits. The escalating trade tensions have already prompted retaliatory measures from key trading partners, raising concerns about a potential slowdown in the US economy.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is meeting with key regulatory bodies today to discuss ways to cut red tape and boost economic growth, despite criticism from Conservatives who accuse Labour of stifling business expansion through higher taxes. The OECD has revised its growth forecasts for the UK downwards, predicting 1.4% growth in 2025 and 1.2% in 2026.
U.S. stocks closed higher on Monday, led by gains in energy shares, as investors digested mixed economic data and corporate earnings reports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 400 points, or 0.97%, to close at 41,888.57, while the S&P 500 rose 0.72% to 5,679.43 and the NASDAQ Composite Index climbed 0.33% to 17,812.14.
Crypto markets are in a holding pattern ahead of Wednesday's Federal Reserve meeting, with large transaction volume and daily active addresses increasing, but transactions exceeding $100,000 and exchange netflows declining. Despite the mixed signals, long-term holders are accumulating Bitcoin, capital inflows are increasing, and technical indicators suggest a potential breakout.
Luminar's lidar outperformed Tesla's Autopilot in detecting objects in heavy fog, simulated downpour, and even a "Wile E Coyote" wall test. This positive demonstration of lidar's capabilities has led to a significant surge in Luminar's stock price, highlighting the potential of this technology in the future of autonomous driving.